1. FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates water toys, particularly a hand-held toy that releases water upon contact with another object.
2. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
Toys that sell during the springtime season are often based upon the employment of water. Children love to get wet and the sales of such toys has risen dramatically during the past few years. These toys can be divided into several subcategories including water guns, water slides, and water novelties.
Water guns are either manually pump-operated or electrically powered, and allow one child to squirt another from a distance. One type of manually pressurized water gun is sold by Larami Toys under the name SUPER SOAKER. This product has a chamber that is filled with water and then manually pumped by sliding a shotgun-like pump mechanism. Upon the release of a trigger, a continuous stream of water will be emitted from the gun.
Toys sold by Marchon under the trademark CROCODILE MILE, and Wham-O, Inc. under the trademark SLIP N SLIDE, include water slides that receive a continuous supply of water from a garden hose. The water is released over a large polyethylene mat that is laid out on the lawn. The water and mat provide a slippery surface that the users can slide on.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,959 issued to Rudell et al, discloses a Water Sprinkler Mat Game that has been marketed by Ohio Art Company under the trademark LEAKY PIPES. The Rudell toy includes a heat sealed mat with numerous holes that emit streams of water, upon which a game of physical dexterity is played.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,890,838 and 4,991,847 issued to Rudell et al, disclose water novelties sold by Lewis Galoob Toys under the trademark SPLASH OUT. The toy comprises a two-piece ball that is molded with slots in an outer housing. A water balloon is loaded into the ball, and a mechanical timer is wound. Children throw the ball back and forth. As the timer runs out, a spring-loaded pin is activated, puncturing the ball and releasing the water onto the player who is holding the ball.
Another toss-around ball-like product is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,733 issued to Rehkemper et al. The Rehkemper patent discloses a plastic housing that is attached to a water balloon. The balloon and housing are thrown about by two or more players. The housing has a pin that punctures the balloon and releases water on one of the players.
Another water novelty toy is sold by Fisher-Price under the name FUN HYDRANT SPRINKLER. These large molded toys are attached to garden hoses and operate in a manner similar to the SLIP AND SLIDE or CROCODILE MILE toys described earlier, except that the FUN HYDRANT SPRINKLER emits springs of water through which the children run around. There is no mat to run or slide on. The Fisher-Price toy is therefore much safer than the water slide mats. None of these toys offer one-on-one competition, being activity items they are not competitive in nature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,680 issued to Rudell et al, discloses a toy that was sold by Mattel under the trademark WET HEAD. That toy involves a hat-like device with a water chamber whose contents are released upon the head of the wearer as he removes numerous identical removable sticks, one of which is effectively functioning as a release valve stop.
Also included in the art are projectile devices that release water upon impact with another object. One such toy is sold by Kenner Products under the name SPLASH DARTS. The dart holds water in a sponge-like manner and provides a single release of water, when thrown onto a rigid surface.
Another projectile device is a flying disc "Frisbee", that is constructed from a foam sponge-like material. A player will get wet if he catches the water-soaked disc too close to his body. Neither one of these toys have any provision for momentary, pressurized release of a liquid, nor are they logically held by one player for skillful direction into contact with an opponent.
Parker Brothers and Kenner Products sell Nerf Fencing Swords, which comprise hand-held swords that allow children to play-duel. On the hilt of each sword is a polyethylene living-hinge target with multiple folding sectors. Each time an opponent successfully touches a hilt-sector with his sword tip, one of the sectors folds down. The folding down of the sectors serves as a means for proficiency scoring. It should be noted that there is no water usage suggested or implied by this product, nor is there any penalty attributed to the player who eventually loses the match.
What is desired is a toy that allows two or more players to engage in play competition such as "dueling", wherein the loosing player is penalized with a splash of water upon contact by an opponent's sword. The wet penalty offers great summertime fun.